March 20, 2025 • 26 mins
In this episode, we sit down with the incredibly talented James Martinez (Dexter: Original Sin, House of Cards, Breaking Bad, Love, Victor), who takes us on a deeply personal and inspiring journey through his life and career.
From growing up in Jackson Heights, NY, to his Colombian mother’s resilience after his father’s passing, James shares how a dedicated teacher encouraged him to apply to the prestigious Juilliard School—a move that changed everything. He also takes us back to his early days as a teenage impersonator in NYC comedy clubs, long before he found himself on set with Hollywood’s biggest names.
We also dive into how James balances marriage, fatherhood, and an intense acting career, plus what it was like working alongside icons like Giancarlo Esposito, Patrick Dempsey, and Christian Slater. And in an exclusive, James gives us a sneak peek at his latest project—a "Freestyle" play with his friend/mentor David Zayas.
🎠From comedy clubs to critically acclaimed roles, this is a must-listen for anyone who loves stories of perseverance, artistry, and the magic of Hollywood.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Come Again A podcast by Honey.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
German, Jem Benio, James Martinez. How are you feeling.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Today, I'm feeling very good. Actually, I'm so happy to
be here and I've just it's just been a little
crazy lately, so in.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
A good way, in a great way, I can imagine.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Yeah, just meeting a lot of good people, a lot
of interesting artists, and a lot of fans, and that
just it's.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
A fandom group.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
It It definitely grew with this one for sure. You know,
I've been kind of just working behind the scenes, but
you know this, this this particular project.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Definitely And which project are we talking?
Speaker 1 (00:43):
We're okay, we'll we'll talk about it. This is a
Dexter original sin.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
And that's where I found you, and.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
That is where you found Is that where you found me?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
That's where and from the moment you walked on screen,
I was like, listen, if you're a Dexter fan, you
know exactly who we're talking about. The battista.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
I mean, sometimes you most of the time you do
a job and you don't know how it's gonna hit.
But the Dexter fan base is it's it's huge, huge, yeah,
and it hit really real to me once the show
came out, like what changed?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Well, when were you like, what is going on?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Well, I mean I knew how new. I knew how
big Dexter was. I was a Dexter fan. I watched
it when when it came out in two thousand and six.
I saw all eight seasons, So you're OG fan. Definitely
an OG Dexter fan. And it was also friends with
I am still friends with David Zayas, who played the
O G. Battista. Did he pick you? No?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
No, no, no no no, He's like, no, I get
put on.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Actors have very little say in casting. Uh. But but
but knowing him definitely helped a lot, just because I
know how he is, his energy, his his heart, his
even physically. I just was familiar with him as a person.
So it helped me a lot to kind of tackle
this role of Angel Batista. But but the fans, you know,
(02:06):
like I was saying, sometimes you do a show and
you hope it hits and sometimes it blows up, sometimes
it goes nowhere. But with this, it already has had
a built in fan base, so we knew a lot
of people were going to be watching and comparing. So
the pressure was on for sure.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
And you delivered. I got to tell you this much.
You know, shout out to everybody. Christilla Millon. Everybody did amazing.
It's a great casting, but you were the casting for me.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
When you walked on screen, I said, wait, wait, hold on,
I was is this the original? I was like, did
they make them look young?
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Like what happened here? I've gotten a lot of that,
Like they thought it was Ai at first, Like that's
what I thought, like id aging type thing. And I
took it as a wow, huge compliment. But I wasn't
so sure about myself when I first started. Really no,
not really. I mean when I walked in, you said
it yourself, Is this the guy?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
I mean, oh yeah, listen behind the scenes when he
walked into this sto I looked him up and down,
like in a weird way that I.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Never saw that.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
I'm like, wait, I don't think they brought me the
right guy. Still very handsome, but definitely not the Batista
that we saw on screen.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
And that's what I thought. When they were seeing me
for this role. I was like, I looked at myself
in the mirror. I'm like, I don't look anything like
this guy. I don't sound like him, and I just
didn't feel sure about it. But once I got to work,
it came together nice.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
How did the transformation have physically? What did they have
to do to you?
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Well, first of all, it was up to me, you know,
because the wardrobe and the makeup alone isn't going to
do it, Like I have to own this this the
Fedora and the jewelry and the wayabera and the whole look.
You know, you have to Did.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
They die your hair?
Speaker 1 (03:46):
No? No, really, that.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Was all you.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
That was all me. No. I just studied him for
about a month. I was just obsessed with the character
of Angel, like every little headshake, every little little walk,
the bos the voice cadence, which is another thing about
Angel that's very specific, just kind of where he places.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
His voice, like up here now you kneel. But I
was like, you know, being typical New York For me,
I was like, well, he kind of cheated because he
had what eight seasons to study from him.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Yeah, I mean I did manage. I did my homework.
I did my homework. Yeah, for sure, I know it.
Like I said, knowing David was a big advantage too.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I love doing this show. Yeah, and from them. You
know what's crazy. It is like, from the moment I
saw your set, the way this actor is owning this role,
it's not normal to me.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
It's not Yeah, thank you, And throughout my whole career
I have always.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Because even young Dexter's right, but this does my guy.
I'm like, I haven't seen him in I haven't seen
him in an episode.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
I used to get mad when you the energy. I
didn't want it to be an imitation either. That was
the other.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
No, it wasn't good.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
I wanted to embody him and make him because you can.
You can go to a comedy club and see all that,
Like I did a good impression, But when you're actually
embodying this guy and trying to make people that you
are him, it goes, it goes deeper.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, because an imitation would be like, eh, I don't yeah, yeah,
he's trying too hard. It just felt real. I was
like I even googled, like if you were his son.
I was like, maybe that's his son.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Yeah, yeah, he has a son, and his son actually
played his double in the Really yeah yeah, but his
son is actually a theater director. He's very busy. I'm
not sure if he's into acting.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Everybody in theater. Everybody in theater. And you talk about
impersonating and that's how you started. You were comedian and
you used to do impersonation, Like I get a fact
sheet and they were just like, oh, he used to
be a comedian when.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
I was Yeah, when I was sixteen years old, he
was a baby. Yeah, open mic. But I did it
for about four years and I was bouncing around all
over New York. I guess. The biggest comedy club was Carolines.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Were actually, oh forever be the biggest comedy club had
and that.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
That was where I kind of started like really honing
in on my craft. My craft, I guess, but I'm
not a stand up comedian. But I knew you did
it when I was. I was a good mimic, right,
So they were like, oh, you do you do impressions,
You should go and do comedy, But who.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Were your impressions at that point. You don't have to
do it if you don't want to, but who were
your impressions at that point?
Speaker 1 (06:15):
It was like I at the time, you know this,
We're talking like mid nineties, so you know I would
do like scenarios where still Sylvester Stalloon would meet al
Pacino really yeah, or Jim Carrey or Michael Jackson, Michael
Keaton from Batman, and I would go up and I
(06:36):
would I would say, oh, what would happen if these
two celebrities would meet? And I'd put them in a funny.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Scenario and you would be the both characters and that.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Would be both characters. Yeah, and I would dress up
and do it like that. Yeah, But eventually the acting
thing kind of hold.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
On, How did a sixteen year old end up in
comedy clubs in New York City? I need the backstory
on this?
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Listen.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
You can't just brush through.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
That's that's a good question.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Mommy, me and mama, see I understand.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Me and my mind.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Then Jackson heights, Okay, so yes, y yes, say sign.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
My mama, Gustar, I said chow and we start said
said it come on, you know how I want to
I was doing business, show business, I know, I was
like I wanted to entertain, and she.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Was with it.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
And yeah, in fact, she yeah, she was. She was
happy that I was. My heart wasn't anything, you know
that I had some direction. She was just relieved that
I was passionate about something. So she went and found
me like a fly or media I Classic clas Let, Mama,
you should go check it out, and I would go
and I was like just bouncing around Jersey Queens Long
(07:47):
Island looking for affordable acting classes and like that.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
No, I saw, like one of your first credits was
in nineteen ninety five Guiding Light? Am I right that
that was that?
Speaker 1 (07:58):
I think that date is off. That was my first job.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Okay, what date is was that? Because I'm like that was.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Two thousand and two. Okay, that's when I graduated Juilliard
and yeah, I know, yeah who I went to? Uh?
I went with Jennifer Carpenter was in my class. Who
played deb in the original Decks? Oh?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Really?
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yeah? Yeah? Anthony Mackie oskar Isaac.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
How was the process of getting into Julia? A lot
of Greek told you apply to Juilliard? Or how did
you my teacher? Okay, it's always always.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
The teacher, And I hear this story a lot, and
it is so many people, the importance of teachers and
them kind of seeing something in you and saying, hey, yeah,
go for it.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Teacher in Jackson High School.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Forestills High School. Yeah, my zone High school was new
Town but I ended up in Forest Hills and we
had we had a good English department there in a
drama department, and they saw potential in me and they
helped me prepare for for my audition for Juilliard.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
And you feel like that changed the course of it, really.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Really did, because it solidified everything and it validated me
and gave me the confidence to say, once you have
the degree, I mean absolutely.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
They can't deny you.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
And that was the beginning for sure. I owe him
a lot. Larry O'Connell, my English teacher at Forest Is
he still a lot to him.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Oh yeah, So he got to see all of your.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
All of your acting, super supportive.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Breaking back, I saw Gian Carlos. How is it working
with such an icon legend?
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Yeah yeah, I mean, you know, we grew up with
Spike Lee and watching him and he has so many stories.
And when you're in that situation, especially when you're trying
to come up you you try to just observe, be
quiet and listen.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
How did you feel?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Just what I did? And because I was very nervous,
but I knew who he was. And thankfully this is
what makes all the difference. When you walk onto a set,
is when you work with actors that are generous and
and start out on the same playing field, you know,
they don't there's no hierarchy. They don't. They don't act
like you know, they're they're better than you in my
trailer now, he's a humble man. Yeah, and he's a
(10:01):
genius in my opinion, he is. And we got to
work and we were just on the same plane field,
like I said, and he's super welcoming and once we
got to work, we flowed. And yeah, I was very
happy with the way that scene turned out, and it
turned out to be a big scene in TV history
that people still talk about.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
No it is. I'm a bringing bad fan.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Yeah, yeah, I know, And it opened up a lot
of doors for.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Me for really that still I like that. Loved Victor
twenty eight episodes, Am I right? Yeah, talk to me
about that show. How did you end up on this show?
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Well, this was a spin off on a film on
Netflix called Love Simon. Yeah, and it did really well.
And I think they did a smart thing by kind
of doing a different take on it with aferent culture,
with Latin with the Latino family, which is a very
interesting take because how would Latino family react if one
(11:07):
of their kids comes out and this is a problem.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
That and you know, the vibe is completely different.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
It's culturally, it's it's it's night and day. So they
had a lot to tackle there. But the fans for
that show, I didn't realize how important the show was
once it came out. I mean I've been literally getting
dms from kids talking about like it saved their lives.
Thank you, Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
That's the type of work that makes a difference, Yes, psychologically,
you know, emotionally.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
And it kind of goes beyond entertainment.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
No, it does. I'm not even thinking entertainment at this point.
It's just like, Yo, You're connecting with people and you're
giving a voice to you know, kids that feel invisible
in their home, in their community.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
It was a super important show and the kind of
stuff I wanted to be doing. So I'm also very
grateful to Hulu and me for for putting that out there.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
I love that you did that show.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Now, Queen of the South, Oh I saw you Himki
Mada is one of my favorites. He's got to make
it to this building. How was it working on that set?
Speaker 1 (12:14):
We became really good friends.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Really he's just so dope, right, so cool.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
And we also we all we met each other actually
just in audition rooms, just kind of hustling in l a.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
You know, if you're intimidating in person.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
No, no, you know.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
His character is just like in Queen of the South,
it's just like it feels so like scary.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Yeah, yeah, but he's nothing like that. He's just a
really great actor. And we had a lot in common artistically,
you know, we just wanted to do different stuff and
and kind of really stretch ourselves and played characters very
different from us and very sweet guy Dominican. And we
got to hang out in Mexico City for a couple
(12:54):
of months and just a couple of months. Yeah, it
was it was a lot of time together. You know.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
That's how does it work? You're married and a dad,
one son.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
One son? Yeah, he's about to turn five.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
How does it work? Do you bring your family with
you when you're going away for a couple of months
or do they stay here in New York?
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Well, he just turned five, so he just started real school. Okay,
So I would take him everywhere. He was a jet
setter everywhere I go. Him and Mom would come with
me and yeah, he saw, he've seen. He's seen a
lot of different cities and been on set and it
was exciting. But now, yeah, now now it's time to figure.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Out time manage and I'm trying to explain to him
what what I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
Sometimes you'll see me on the screen.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Like really, yeah, that's so deep.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Yeah exactly. So now now he's starting to put it together.
At first, it was a little hard, but we're getting there.
You know, I miss him a lot. It's hard, but
you know, it's a sacrifice that you got to do.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
How does your wife feel?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
She is you know, she's not in the business at all,
you know, she's she's just very curious and learning a
lot about it. And she tells me, I can't see TV.
I can't watch a movie the same way anymore. After
after living with you and being with you, it's it's
a she's very interested in the business and and she
(14:21):
comes with me to to.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
All the events Michel and everything.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Yeah, but she keeps my feet on the ground, sure,
and doesn't let any of it.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
When you're home, she's like needed yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Yeah exactly, That's it's no big deal to her anymore.
So she she keeps my feet on the ground for sure.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Very grateful Mets fan. I saw, Oh my god, we
got beef got and I met Mets fan for life.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
I mean, I grew up in Jackson Hight.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
I feel you, I feel you, feel you.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
I mean, I literally have pictures of me and my
dad in the eighties when we were doing great. You know,
I was on his lap in Shaye Stadium, you know,
back when it was Shay. So this is this is
more than a team for me. This is this is
my childhood, my life.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
It's your culture, you love. I'm just joking. I'm just
you know, it's New York is New York.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
You know, at the end of the day.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
It's a whole thing. Yankee versus Mets fans. I saw
that we are getting a Dexter resurrection June twenty twenty five.
I'm hap about that.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Yeah, I'm excited about that.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Now what about Original Sin? Are we getting another one?
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Well, I mean nothing official yet. You know a lot
of things in this business are about timing, so they're
probably waiting for the right time to make the announcement.
I don't know. I don't What goes on behind the
scenes is a mystery. But it's not official yet, but
we did break records with the amounts of streams.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
I can imagine. I feel like everybody I know is
watching it.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Yeah, and the reviews have been great. I mean, on paper,
it looks like it's in the back, so I'm pretty
sure it's coming back. But you know, don't take my
word for it, but I do think it looks good.
Send me my mom.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
I love it. Now, your family, who else? Mom?
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yeah, mom, sisters, brothers. Oh, yes, I have a brother.
It's fdn Y.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
Thank you for serving brother.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
My little brother, and I'm very proud of him. And
h my dad's no longer with us, I saw, yeah, yeah,
and but my mom's been holding it.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Down and yeah, yeah exactly because your father passed away
a very long time ago.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Right, yeah, yeah, in the early nineties, you know.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
So mom had to finish right everything on her own.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Mom. My mom had a couple of thrift stores, a toy.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Store and queens and queens. I love it.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Yeah, and she invested in some Italians, so you have two.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Yellow Oh no, but Mammy didn't know.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
And the thing is, the amazing thing is that she
was a housewife. You know, she was not a business woman.
But she did what she had to do, you know,
and just took the reins.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
When your father passed, then she she flipped it like
she was like I got to get out there.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Yeah, I got to get out there. And you know,
she asked around and basically she was selling the clothes
that rich people threw away. Basically that's what we did.
She knew about a factory, she found out a place
where she couldn't get clothes for cheap and and but
but the clothes were good, great investment. So she opened
(17:26):
up two stores in Corona, Queens.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Yeah, I like that.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
And then my uncle had a taxi base and hooked
her up. And yeah, before I knew, she was balancing
the stores the cabs.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
And listen, I'm proud of your mom than I am
of you. Right now, bring mom, because I want to
know how she flipped the game like that, you know,
because it's hard obviously, spots and Mama, you know, like
they don't get you nothing, and you know, especially like
gave them. You're an immigrant and you know you come
to this country, you don't you're not afforded the same
(18:01):
luxuries as let's say a white woman. If she wanted
to open up a business, so it's it's twice as
hard for us, so for her to have done it
succeeded and you know, raised what two boys.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Two boys, thank you, thank you for saying that. Yeah,
and the community loved her. They loved her store, and
they were always there and very loyal to her because
also she was also had a good heart and she
was yes she was running a business, but also she
made sure to take care of her people better of
(18:31):
that and I think many people will vouch for that. Yeah,
she was like the neighborhood's mom, and and people loved
it very much. And the business said, well, I owe
her so much and it's just my mother is.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
But you wouldn't be here without her.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
I wouldn't and I don't want to leave her. I'm like,
it was hard to move out when I did, you know,
because and also you know, being the older brother, do you.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Live close to her? You know, yes, so she wants
to see your son any time.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
I moved to Long Island went to the.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Because I can comput.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Sorry friendly and everything.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
And yeah, it's taxes though, good luck to.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
You, thank you. You know what's but we got a
good deal though, God blessed because it was during the pandemic.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Oh you got two percent interest rate? Oh my god,
you know how you know, listen, I am very into
broken Listen. I know we put a bath houses during
twenty twenty and they're like, I will never sell this
house because of the mortgage. They're like, it's a free house.
Pretty much.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
It timed out. It was like divine because you know, Nicole,
my wife said I'm babe, I'm pregnant. And then it
was an We've been together for ten ten years and
I mean we were one of those we love to
travel party.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
You know, a free care free, we're living our life,
were living our life, and.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Then so when that happened, it was like everything flipped.
But then the very next day I got the news
that I had booked Victor, and I was like, this.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Is amazing, Like and you're like, okay, it's gonna work out.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
Okay, it's working out. It's working out. I mean, look,
when you're when you're in this business, you're always living
on the edge. You know, you just you just gotta
keep going, keep going, And so far it's working out.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
I want you to know we're super proud of you.
Thanks for bringing that character to life, and you know,
and thanks for giving us visibility and you know, playing
the roles that make us look so good. Because the
main reason I love Dexter is because there's so many
Latino badasses, not only just because it's based in Miami
and Miami belongs to us, but it's just you know,
(20:42):
Lauren Villas. Immediately I connect with her character. I'm like,
she's a batter, you know what I'm saying. It's a
dope show. And I love the way we are representing
you know, yeah, we have our one offs here and there,
but of course the main characters and the fact that
the main characters do speak the language and sound good speaking.
It's just it's my show because and I went into it,
you know, just Dexter. I didn't go into it knowing
(21:04):
it was going to be so Latin based. And then
after that, I was like, everybody has to watch this,
everybody has to support us. It's pretty much for us.
Mm hmm, yep, shout out, Dexter. I love you main character,
but all the smaller characters in the music, everything.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Is just meal. I felt the same way. I felt
the same and that's why it was extra special to
be cast in this role in this franchise because I
was like, Okay, now I have some control, some power
to represent and do it justice.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
And you did and for that, we thank you.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
That means the world thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
That's the main reason I wanted to sit down with you,
because I was like, Yo, this right here is dope.
And I watch a lot of shows, and I watch
a lot of series. When I saw your character, I said,
this guy knows his shit.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Yeah, And this is the kind of work that I'm
working towards doing more of and just pushing those boundaries
and seeing how beautifully colored and complimented complicated our culture is.
There's there's latinos is. We haven't even scratched the surface.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
We're talking so many countries, so many, so many ways
of speaking the language, so many so many types of food,
so many types of dances, so many belief the belief
systems and cultures. It's it's it's just, uh, the possibilities
are endless. So there's so much more to do, and
(22:31):
I I'm looking forward to exploring that and also creating
helping create work that that pushes that.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
What do you are you working on anything right now
that you can share with us. Well, I'm what do
you have in mind?
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Well, actually, it's funny that you mentioned Lunavella is because
we we've been collaborating to to produce a play about
freestyle music.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
I'm there already.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Yes. So it's a it's a love story and the
whole story, the backdrop of the story is freestyle music.
So it starts with a couple in the Bronx that
meets in the eighties, late eighties, and you kind of
see them age and kind of when freestyle music. Freestyle
music kind of lasted about ten years, so once that
(23:19):
genre played itself out less people were listening to it,
it kind of affects their love life. So yeah, because
it's bonded it, that's what bonded them.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
And then I'm already missed.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
And then like twenty years later, there's a freestyle concert
at Radio City Music Hall and they end up running,
running into each other and reconnecting, and yeah, it's a
beautiful story where they kind of reminisce and wonder what
they would have done differently, and a lot of culturally,
(23:54):
what was going on for Latinos in the eighties in
New York, you know, with HIV and how how their
families were affected. It's just uh and so we've we've
been workshopping to play and it's only a two person play.
It's just the guy and the girl.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
Yeah, you're the guy.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Well that's the thing. They're rotating. So the idea is
that they would rotate actors weekly. So we got David
D's involved, Johnny Guizamo, and we got a couple of
different people I think Freddie Rodriguez also, and we would
basically take turns playing the roles and see everyone's different
take on the story. Sold. But Judy Torres involved TKA.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Oh nice.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Yeah, yeah, it's been in development for a while.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Judy works here. Actually yeah I.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Heard, Yeah, I heard so she she narrow, she's a narrator.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Oh I love it. Yeah, I know, but this is
far along. This is going to happen.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
Yeah, it's getting there. We're getting it in front of
some good eyes.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
You're gonna have to come back then hopefully.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
I'll be back here talking about a production of a freestyle.
And you could see the account on the Instagram if
you want to. Just I'm going to updated on where
right with it?
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Definitely because you know it has a good future. I
love David johnsmo duty and now you. So I'm definitely invested,
and I want to make sure that you know any
which way we can support it, right, bring awareness, bring people.
It's going to happen here in New York obviously.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Yeah, I mean the whole thing is is is a
love letter to New York.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Let's make it happen twenty twenty five. Let's make it happen.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
That's that's that's going to be the next step.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
We're manifesting right now, manifesting.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
Let's manifest altogether.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Thank you so much for sitting down with me today, James.
You've actually been amazing. I want to thank you for
the work you're doing and for the way that you're
representing us.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
It's been a pleasure. Thank you. We got pretty deep today,
I but I appreciate it because I'm getting a little
emotional just talking about the journey. You know, you're so
caught up and in the president in the present and
just trying to do what you gotta do. But looking
back at the story has has made me realize it's
it's really special what we're doing. And I appreciate you
(25:57):
making me open up like that. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Grassiers Come Again.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
That was good. Grassiers Come Again is a production of
Honey German Productions in partnership with Iheart's Microtura podcast network.
Come Again A podcast by Honey.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
German, Jem Benio, James Martinez. How are you feeling.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Today, I'm feeling very good. Actually, I'm so happy to
be here and I've just it's just been a little
crazy lately, so in.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
A good way, in a great way, I can imagine.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Yeah, just meeting a lot of good people, a lot
of interesting artists, and a lot of fans, and that
just it's.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
A fandom group.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
It It definitely grew with this one for sure. You know,
I've been kind of just working behind the scenes, but
you know this, this this particular project.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Definitely And which project are we talking?
Speaker 1 (00:43):
We're okay, we'll we'll talk about it. This is a
Dexter original sin.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
And that's where I found you, and.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
That is where you found Is that where you found me?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
That's where and from the moment you walked on screen,
I was like, listen, if you're a Dexter fan, you
know exactly who we're talking about. The battista.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
I mean, sometimes you most of the time you do
a job and you don't know how it's gonna hit.
But the Dexter fan base is it's it's huge, huge, yeah,
and it hit really real to me once the show
came out, like what changed?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Well, when were you like, what is going on?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Well, I mean I knew how new. I knew how
big Dexter was. I was a Dexter fan. I watched
it when when it came out in two thousand and six.
I saw all eight seasons, So you're OG fan. Definitely
an OG Dexter fan. And it was also friends with
I am still friends with David Zayas, who played the
O G. Battista. Did he pick you? No?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
No, no, no no no, He's like, no, I get
put on.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Actors have very little say in casting. Uh. But but
but knowing him definitely helped a lot, just because I
know how he is, his energy, his his heart, his
even physically. I just was familiar with him as a person.
So it helped me a lot to kind of tackle
this role of Angel Batista. But but the fans, you know,
(02:06):
like I was saying, sometimes you do a show and
you hope it hits and sometimes it blows up, sometimes
it goes nowhere. But with this, it already has had
a built in fan base, so we knew a lot
of people were going to be watching and comparing. So
the pressure was on for sure.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
And you delivered. I got to tell you this much.
You know, shout out to everybody. Christilla Millon. Everybody did amazing.
It's a great casting, but you were the casting for me.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
When you walked on screen, I said, wait, wait, hold on,
I was is this the original? I was like, did
they make them look young?
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Like what happened here? I've gotten a lot of that,
Like they thought it was Ai at first, Like that's
what I thought, like id aging type thing. And I
took it as a wow, huge compliment. But I wasn't
so sure about myself when I first started. Really no,
not really. I mean when I walked in, you said
it yourself, Is this the guy?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
I mean, oh yeah, listen behind the scenes when he
walked into this sto I looked him up and down,
like in a weird way that I.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Never saw that.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
I'm like, wait, I don't think they brought me the
right guy. Still very handsome, but definitely not the Batista
that we saw on screen.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
And that's what I thought. When they were seeing me
for this role. I was like, I looked at myself
in the mirror. I'm like, I don't look anything like
this guy. I don't sound like him, and I just
didn't feel sure about it. But once I got to work,
it came together nice.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
How did the transformation have physically? What did they have
to do to you?
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Well, first of all, it was up to me, you know,
because the wardrobe and the makeup alone isn't going to
do it, Like I have to own this this the
Fedora and the jewelry and the wayabera and the whole look.
You know, you have to Did.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
They die your hair?
Speaker 1 (03:46):
No? No, really, that.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Was all you.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
That was all me. No. I just studied him for
about a month. I was just obsessed with the character
of Angel, like every little headshake, every little little walk,
the bos the voice cadence, which is another thing about
Angel that's very specific, just kind of where he places.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
His voice, like up here now you kneel. But I
was like, you know, being typical New York For me,
I was like, well, he kind of cheated because he
had what eight seasons to study from him.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Yeah, I mean I did manage. I did my homework.
I did my homework. Yeah, for sure, I know it.
Like I said, knowing David was a big advantage too.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I love doing this show. Yeah, and from them. You
know what's crazy. It is like, from the moment I
saw your set, the way this actor is owning this role,
it's not normal to me.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
It's not Yeah, thank you, And throughout my whole career
I have always.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Because even young Dexter's right, but this does my guy.
I'm like, I haven't seen him in I haven't seen
him in an episode.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
I used to get mad when you the energy. I
didn't want it to be an imitation either. That was
the other.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
No, it wasn't good.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
I wanted to embody him and make him because you can.
You can go to a comedy club and see all that,
Like I did a good impression, But when you're actually
embodying this guy and trying to make people that you
are him, it goes, it goes deeper.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, because an imitation would be like, eh, I don't yeah, yeah,
he's trying too hard. It just felt real. I was
like I even googled, like if you were his son.
I was like, maybe that's his son.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Yeah, yeah, he has a son, and his son actually
played his double in the Really yeah yeah, but his
son is actually a theater director. He's very busy. I'm
not sure if he's into acting.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Everybody in theater. Everybody in theater. And you talk about
impersonating and that's how you started. You were comedian and
you used to do impersonation, Like I get a fact
sheet and they were just like, oh, he used to
be a comedian when.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
I was Yeah, when I was sixteen years old, he
was a baby. Yeah, open mic. But I did it
for about four years and I was bouncing around all
over New York. I guess. The biggest comedy club was Carolines.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Were actually, oh forever be the biggest comedy club had
and that.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
That was where I kind of started like really honing
in on my craft. My craft, I guess, but I'm
not a stand up comedian. But I knew you did
it when I was. I was a good mimic, right,
So they were like, oh, you do you do impressions,
You should go and do comedy, But who.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Were your impressions at that point. You don't have to
do it if you don't want to, but who were
your impressions at that point?
Speaker 1 (06:15):
It was like I at the time, you know this,
We're talking like mid nineties, so you know I would
do like scenarios where still Sylvester Stalloon would meet al
Pacino really yeah, or Jim Carrey or Michael Jackson, Michael
Keaton from Batman, and I would go up and I
(06:36):
would I would say, oh, what would happen if these
two celebrities would meet? And I'd put them in a funny.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Scenario and you would be the both characters and that.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Would be both characters. Yeah, and I would dress up
and do it like that. Yeah, But eventually the acting
thing kind of hold.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
On, How did a sixteen year old end up in
comedy clubs in New York City? I need the backstory
on this?
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Listen.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
You can't just brush through.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
That's that's a good question.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Mommy, me and mama, see I understand.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Me and my mind.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Then Jackson heights, Okay, so yes, y yes, say sign.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
My mama, Gustar, I said chow and we start said
said it come on, you know how I want to
I was doing business, show business, I know, I was
like I wanted to entertain, and she.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Was with it.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
And yeah, in fact, she yeah, she was. She was
happy that I was. My heart wasn't anything, you know
that I had some direction. She was just relieved that
I was passionate about something. So she went and found
me like a fly or media I Classic clas Let, Mama,
you should go check it out, and I would go
and I was like just bouncing around Jersey Queens Long
(07:47):
Island looking for affordable acting classes and like that.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
No, I saw, like one of your first credits was
in nineteen ninety five Guiding Light? Am I right that
that was that?
Speaker 1 (07:58):
I think that date is off. That was my first job.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Okay, what date is was that? Because I'm like that was.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Two thousand and two. Okay, that's when I graduated Juilliard
and yeah, I know, yeah who I went to? Uh?
I went with Jennifer Carpenter was in my class. Who
played deb in the original Decks? Oh?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Really?
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yeah? Yeah? Anthony Mackie oskar Isaac.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
How was the process of getting into Julia? A lot
of Greek told you apply to Juilliard? Or how did
you my teacher? Okay, it's always always.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
The teacher, And I hear this story a lot, and
it is so many people, the importance of teachers and
them kind of seeing something in you and saying, hey, yeah,
go for it.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Teacher in Jackson High School.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Forestills High School. Yeah, my zone High school was new
Town but I ended up in Forest Hills and we
had we had a good English department there in a
drama department, and they saw potential in me and they
helped me prepare for for my audition for Juilliard.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
And you feel like that changed the course of it, really.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Really did, because it solidified everything and it validated me
and gave me the confidence to say, once you have
the degree, I mean absolutely.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
They can't deny you.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
And that was the beginning for sure. I owe him
a lot. Larry O'Connell, my English teacher at Forest Is
he still a lot to him.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Oh yeah, So he got to see all of your.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
All of your acting, super supportive.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Breaking back, I saw Gian Carlos. How is it working
with such an icon legend?
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Yeah yeah, I mean, you know, we grew up with
Spike Lee and watching him and he has so many stories.
And when you're in that situation, especially when you're trying
to come up you you try to just observe, be
quiet and listen.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
How did you feel?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Just what I did? And because I was very nervous,
but I knew who he was. And thankfully this is
what makes all the difference. When you walk onto a set,
is when you work with actors that are generous and
and start out on the same playing field, you know,
they don't there's no hierarchy. They don't. They don't act
like you know, they're they're better than you in my
trailer now, he's a humble man. Yeah, and he's a
(10:01):
genius in my opinion, he is. And we got to
work and we were just on the same plane field,
like I said, and he's super welcoming and once we
got to work, we flowed. And yeah, I was very
happy with the way that scene turned out, and it
turned out to be a big scene in TV history
that people still talk about.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
No it is. I'm a bringing bad fan.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Yeah, yeah, I know, And it opened up a lot
of doors for.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Me for really that still I like that. Loved Victor
twenty eight episodes, Am I right? Yeah, talk to me
about that show. How did you end up on this show?
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Well, this was a spin off on a film on
Netflix called Love Simon. Yeah, and it did really well.
And I think they did a smart thing by kind
of doing a different take on it with aferent culture,
with Latin with the Latino family, which is a very
interesting take because how would Latino family react if one
(11:07):
of their kids comes out and this is a problem.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
That and you know, the vibe is completely different.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
It's culturally, it's it's it's night and day. So they
had a lot to tackle there. But the fans for
that show, I didn't realize how important the show was
once it came out. I mean I've been literally getting
dms from kids talking about like it saved their lives.
Thank you, Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
That's the type of work that makes a difference, Yes, psychologically,
you know, emotionally.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
And it kind of goes beyond entertainment.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
No, it does. I'm not even thinking entertainment at this point.
It's just like, Yo, You're connecting with people and you're
giving a voice to you know, kids that feel invisible
in their home, in their community.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
It was a super important show and the kind of
stuff I wanted to be doing. So I'm also very
grateful to Hulu and me for for putting that out there.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
I love that you did that show.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Now, Queen of the South, Oh I saw you Himki
Mada is one of my favorites. He's got to make
it to this building. How was it working on that set?
Speaker 1 (12:14):
We became really good friends.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Really he's just so dope, right, so cool.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
And we also we all we met each other actually
just in audition rooms, just kind of hustling in l a.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
You know, if you're intimidating in person.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
No, no, you know.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
His character is just like in Queen of the South,
it's just like it feels so like scary.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Yeah, yeah, but he's nothing like that. He's just a
really great actor. And we had a lot in common artistically,
you know, we just wanted to do different stuff and
and kind of really stretch ourselves and played characters very
different from us and very sweet guy Dominican. And we
got to hang out in Mexico City for a couple
(12:54):
of months and just a couple of months. Yeah, it
was it was a lot of time together. You know.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
That's how does it work? You're married and a dad,
one son.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
One son? Yeah, he's about to turn five.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
How does it work? Do you bring your family with
you when you're going away for a couple of months
or do they stay here in New York?
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Well, he just turned five, so he just started real school. Okay,
So I would take him everywhere. He was a jet
setter everywhere I go. Him and Mom would come with
me and yeah, he saw, he've seen. He's seen a
lot of different cities and been on set and it
was exciting. But now, yeah, now now it's time to figure.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Out time manage and I'm trying to explain to him
what what I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
Sometimes you'll see me on the screen.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Like really, yeah, that's so deep.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Yeah exactly. So now now he's starting to put it together.
At first, it was a little hard, but we're getting there.
You know, I miss him a lot. It's hard, but
you know, it's a sacrifice that you got to do.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
How does your wife feel?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
She is you know, she's not in the business at all,
you know, she's she's just very curious and learning a
lot about it. And she tells me, I can't see TV.
I can't watch a movie the same way anymore. After
after living with you and being with you, it's it's
a she's very interested in the business and and she
(14:21):
comes with me to to.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
All the events Michel and everything.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Yeah, but she keeps my feet on the ground, sure,
and doesn't let any of it.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
When you're home, she's like needed yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Yeah exactly, That's it's no big deal to her anymore.
So she she keeps my feet on the ground for sure.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Very grateful Mets fan. I saw, Oh my god, we
got beef got and I met Mets fan for life.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
I mean, I grew up in Jackson Hight.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
I feel you, I feel you, feel you.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
I mean, I literally have pictures of me and my
dad in the eighties when we were doing great. You know,
I was on his lap in Shaye Stadium, you know,
back when it was Shay. So this is this is
more than a team for me. This is this is
my childhood, my life.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
It's your culture, you love. I'm just joking. I'm just
you know, it's New York is New York.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
You know, at the end of the day.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
It's a whole thing. Yankee versus Mets fans. I saw
that we are getting a Dexter resurrection June twenty twenty five.
I'm hap about that.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Yeah, I'm excited about that.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Now what about Original Sin? Are we getting another one?
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Well, I mean nothing official yet. You know a lot
of things in this business are about timing, so they're
probably waiting for the right time to make the announcement.
I don't know. I don't What goes on behind the
scenes is a mystery. But it's not official yet, but
we did break records with the amounts of streams.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
I can imagine. I feel like everybody I know is
watching it.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Yeah, and the reviews have been great. I mean, on paper,
it looks like it's in the back, so I'm pretty
sure it's coming back. But you know, don't take my
word for it, but I do think it looks good.
Send me my mom.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
I love it. Now, your family, who else? Mom?
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yeah, mom, sisters, brothers. Oh, yes, I have a brother.
It's fdn Y.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
Thank you for serving brother.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
My little brother, and I'm very proud of him. And
h my dad's no longer with us, I saw, yeah, yeah,
and but my mom's been holding it.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Down and yeah, yeah exactly because your father passed away
a very long time ago.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Right, yeah, yeah, in the early nineties, you know.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
So mom had to finish right everything on her own.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Mom. My mom had a couple of thrift stores, a toy.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Store and queens and queens. I love it.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Yeah, and she invested in some Italians, so you have two.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Yellow Oh no, but Mammy didn't know.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
And the thing is, the amazing thing is that she
was a housewife. You know, she was not a business woman.
But she did what she had to do, you know,
and just took the reins.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
When your father passed, then she she flipped it like
she was like I got to get out there.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Yeah, I got to get out there. And you know,
she asked around and basically she was selling the clothes
that rich people threw away. Basically that's what we did.
She knew about a factory, she found out a place
where she couldn't get clothes for cheap and and but
but the clothes were good, great investment. So she opened
(17:26):
up two stores in Corona, Queens.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Yeah, I like that.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
And then my uncle had a taxi base and hooked
her up. And yeah, before I knew, she was balancing
the stores the cabs.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
And listen, I'm proud of your mom than I am
of you. Right now, bring mom, because I want to
know how she flipped the game like that, you know,
because it's hard obviously, spots and Mama, you know, like
they don't get you nothing, and you know, especially like
gave them. You're an immigrant and you know you come
to this country, you don't you're not afforded the same
(18:01):
luxuries as let's say a white woman. If she wanted
to open up a business, so it's it's twice as
hard for us, so for her to have done it
succeeded and you know, raised what two boys.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Two boys, thank you, thank you for saying that. Yeah,
and the community loved her. They loved her store, and
they were always there and very loyal to her because
also she was also had a good heart and she
was yes she was running a business, but also she
made sure to take care of her people better of
(18:31):
that and I think many people will vouch for that. Yeah,
she was like the neighborhood's mom, and and people loved
it very much. And the business said, well, I owe
her so much and it's just my mother is.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
But you wouldn't be here without her.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
I wouldn't and I don't want to leave her. I'm like,
it was hard to move out when I did, you know,
because and also you know, being the older brother, do you.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Live close to her? You know, yes, so she wants
to see your son any time.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
I moved to Long Island went to the.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Because I can comput.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Sorry friendly and everything.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
And yeah, it's taxes though, good luck to.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
You, thank you. You know what's but we got a
good deal though, God blessed because it was during the pandemic.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Oh you got two percent interest rate? Oh my god,
you know how you know, listen, I am very into
broken Listen. I know we put a bath houses during
twenty twenty and they're like, I will never sell this
house because of the mortgage. They're like, it's a free house.
Pretty much.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
It timed out. It was like divine because you know, Nicole,
my wife said I'm babe, I'm pregnant. And then it
was an We've been together for ten ten years and
I mean we were one of those we love to
travel party.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
You know, a free care free, we're living our life,
were living our life, and.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Then so when that happened, it was like everything flipped.
But then the very next day I got the news
that I had booked Victor, and I was like, this.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Is amazing, Like and you're like, okay, it's gonna work out.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
Okay, it's working out. It's working out. I mean, look,
when you're when you're in this business, you're always living
on the edge. You know, you just you just gotta
keep going, keep going, And so far it's working out.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
I want you to know we're super proud of you.
Thanks for bringing that character to life, and you know,
and thanks for giving us visibility and you know, playing
the roles that make us look so good. Because the
main reason I love Dexter is because there's so many
Latino badasses, not only just because it's based in Miami
and Miami belongs to us, but it's just you know,
(20:42):
Lauren Villas. Immediately I connect with her character. I'm like,
she's a batter, you know what I'm saying. It's a
dope show. And I love the way we are representing
you know, yeah, we have our one offs here and there,
but of course the main characters and the fact that
the main characters do speak the language and sound good speaking.
It's just it's my show because and I went into it,
you know, just Dexter. I didn't go into it knowing
(21:04):
it was going to be so Latin based. And then
after that, I was like, everybody has to watch this,
everybody has to support us. It's pretty much for us.
Mm hmm, yep, shout out, Dexter. I love you main character,
but all the smaller characters in the music, everything.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Is just meal. I felt the same way. I felt
the same and that's why it was extra special to
be cast in this role in this franchise because I
was like, Okay, now I have some control, some power
to represent and do it justice.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
And you did and for that, we thank you.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
That means the world thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
That's the main reason I wanted to sit down with you,
because I was like, Yo, this right here is dope.
And I watch a lot of shows, and I watch
a lot of series. When I saw your character, I said,
this guy knows his shit.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Yeah, And this is the kind of work that I'm
working towards doing more of and just pushing those boundaries
and seeing how beautifully colored and complimented complicated our culture is.
There's there's latinos is. We haven't even scratched the surface.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
We're talking so many countries, so many, so many ways
of speaking the language, so many so many types of food,
so many types of dances, so many belief the belief
systems and cultures. It's it's it's just, uh, the possibilities
are endless. So there's so much more to do, and
(22:31):
I I'm looking forward to exploring that and also creating
helping create work that that pushes that.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
What do you are you working on anything right now
that you can share with us. Well, I'm what do
you have in mind?
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Well, actually, it's funny that you mentioned Lunavella is because
we we've been collaborating to to produce a play about
freestyle music.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
I'm there already.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Yes. So it's a it's a love story and the
whole story, the backdrop of the story is freestyle music.
So it starts with a couple in the Bronx that
meets in the eighties, late eighties, and you kind of
see them age and kind of when freestyle music. Freestyle
music kind of lasted about ten years, so once that
(23:19):
genre played itself out less people were listening to it,
it kind of affects their love life. So yeah, because
it's bonded it, that's what bonded them.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
And then I'm already missed.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
And then like twenty years later, there's a freestyle concert
at Radio City Music Hall and they end up running,
running into each other and reconnecting, and yeah, it's a
beautiful story where they kind of reminisce and wonder what
they would have done differently, and a lot of culturally,
(23:54):
what was going on for Latinos in the eighties in
New York, you know, with HIV and how how their
families were affected. It's just uh and so we've we've
been workshopping to play and it's only a two person play.
It's just the guy and the girl.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
Yeah, you're the guy.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Well that's the thing. They're rotating. So the idea is
that they would rotate actors weekly. So we got David
D's involved, Johnny Guizamo, and we got a couple of
different people I think Freddie Rodriguez also, and we would
basically take turns playing the roles and see everyone's different
take on the story. Sold. But Judy Torres involved TKA.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Oh nice.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Yeah, yeah, it's been in development for a while.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Judy works here. Actually yeah I.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Heard, Yeah, I heard so she she narrow, she's a narrator.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Oh I love it. Yeah, I know, but this is
far along. This is going to happen.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
Yeah, it's getting there. We're getting it in front of
some good eyes.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
You're gonna have to come back then hopefully.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
I'll be back here talking about a production of a freestyle.
And you could see the account on the Instagram if
you want to. Just I'm going to updated on where
right with it?
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Definitely because you know it has a good future. I
love David johnsmo duty and now you. So I'm definitely invested,
and I want to make sure that you know any
which way we can support it, right, bring awareness, bring people.
It's going to happen here in New York obviously.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Yeah, I mean the whole thing is is is a
love letter to New York.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Let's make it happen twenty twenty five. Let's make it happen.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
That's that's that's going to be the next step.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
We're manifesting right now, manifesting.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
Let's manifest altogether.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Thank you so much for sitting down with me today, James.
You've actually been amazing. I want to thank you for
the work you're doing and for the way that you're
representing us.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
It's been a pleasure. Thank you. We got pretty deep today,
I but I appreciate it because I'm getting a little
emotional just talking about the journey. You know, you're so
caught up and in the president in the present and
just trying to do what you gotta do. But looking
back at the story has has made me realize it's
it's really special what we're doing. And I appreciate you
(25:57):
making me open up like that. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Grassiers Come Again.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
That was good. Grassiers Come Again is a production of
Honey German Productions in partnership with Iheart's Microtura podcast network.
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